Chapter 1
Katniss' POV
"Jennifer Cartwright"
Yes! It's not me or Prim. The girl from the town walks up to the stage and I see that she is not making any effort on hiding her fear and letting tears fly down her cheek. She will easily be spotted as a weakling and most defiantly be a bloodbath. I look over and see that a blonde haired girl and women who both look like Jennifer are crying. The girl is Delly Cartwright. Jennifer's sister.
"Now for the boys," says Effie and I silently prey that it is not Gale.
"Rory Hawthorne!" No! Not Rory. "I volunteer!" Wait someone volunteered. I look over to who volunteered and I see Gale.
No! Not Gale. Not my best friend. Not my hunting partner. No! This can't be real. I see Gale slowly walk up to the stage. He walks up to the stage without showing a hint of fear and when he reaches the stage, his expression is not of fear or terror but an expression almost saying that he is bored.
District 12 never had a volunteer before and there is murmur in the crowd and I hear some girls let out a sigh of disappointment.
"Wow what is your name?" Asks Effie.
"Gale. Gale Hawthorne."
"Another Hawthorne. I bet my buttons that he was your brother." Gale nods. "Let's give Gale a round of applause."
No one claps but gives the sign of respect. Every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it up to Gale.
"Look at him. Look at this one!" Haymitch hollers, throwing an arm around Gale's shoulder. "I like him lots of...spunk! More than you!" he shouts, pointing at the camera. Did he just address the Capitol or did he address the crowd. No one would know because the next second he fell off the stage landing on his head. Medics quickly come and talks Haymitch away.
Peeta's POV
I see Jennifer walking towards the stage. Poor Delly. My best friend's sister is going to die. I should be upset but I'm actually happy that it wasn't Katniss. I loved Katniss since we were five and I wouldn't be able to carry on living if she was to die. I love her so much but I know I wouldn't be able to get her because she is already with that boy from the seam. No one dares to look at Katniss when Gale is around because everybody knows that they are together when they just say that they are friends.
The boy tribute is called and it is a twelve year old boy from the seam. I look at him and see that he is an exact copy of Gale but smaller. He's Rory! Gale's brother. I see Gale who is behind me running up to the stage saying that he volunteers. Gale volunteers! Gale's going to certain death.
I should be sad that the best friend of the girl I love is going to die but I am really happy. If Gale dies in the Games which he is going to, Katniss would be free and I can have my chance with her. Yes. This is the best reaping that has ever happened!
Jennifer's POV
No! Not me. She didn't say my name. I'm going to die! I slowly walk on to the stage and I soon find out I'm crying. I quickly wipe the tears from my face. I certainly ruined the little chance of survival I had by crying. The careers will spot me as a weakiling and will be killed at the bloodbath.
Effie puts her hand into the boy tribute. Who would be the unlucky boy to go into the arena with me. Effie is taking some time on picking a name so I look into the crowd. I see my mother and sister crying. They see that I'm looking at them but that doesn't reasure them but makes them cry harder. I was going to give them a look that says don't worry but before I could, the crowd makes a noise of complete shock.
I turn my head and I see a boy from the seam running forward screaming that he volunteers. No! No, not Gale. Not Gale. This is the worst reaping ever. First I'm reaped and when I think that this can't get any worse, the boy who I have a crush on is reaped. Gale walks to the stage but unlike me, he shows no fear.
I had a crush on Gale since I was seven. Loads of girls liked him but unlike them, I didn't like him because of his looks. I like him because of his strength and bravery. He goes into the woods everyday to hunt and is the main provider of his family. I wish I could be like him and then I would have a chance to win these Games. He will certainly be a competeter in the Games.
He turns his head a looks at me. Gale is looking at me! I quickly turn my head because I found that I was staring at him. I look at him from the corner of my eye. I see that he is studying me. Is he thinking how good I look or is he thinking if I'll be a competeror in the Games or not? I find the answer but not the way I wanted. He shrugs and looks away and then searches the crowd. He finds a girl from the seam and they give each other looks and it is like they are having a conversation without taking.
I see which girl it is and then I see it. It's that girl from the seam that he hunts with. No one says it but everybody knows that they are together or are going to be together. No one dares to look at Gale when she is around just like no one dares to look at that girl when Gale's around. I find that I'm angry. Why am I angry? I haven't even had the guts to talk to Gale and I think that he will sudennly like me. Of course he won't. Then it hits me. I can talk to him and tell him how I feel when we are going to the Games. These Games might not be that bad after all.
Gale's POV
I look over to the girl that I would be going into the Games with and I find that she is staring at me but she looks away when I look at her. She is actually kind of pretty with straight blonde hair and shiny blue eyes. It would be a shame that she would have to die for me to get out of the arena alive but I couldn't care less.
I look over at the only girl I truly love and the best looking girl in the whole world, my Catnip. She is looking straight at me and I see that she is crying. My Catnip is crying! I have never seen her cry before! I look at her and give her look sayings don't worry but she gives me look saying that she should worry. I turn away because I can't face seeing Katniss cry because of me.
I look at my family and see that they are crying as well. How many people are crying because of me? I look away. The national anthem plays and we are taken to the Justice building where we will say our final goodbyes but I'm not. I'm going to come back. I'm going to win for my family and I'm going to win for my Catnip.
My first visitor's are my family. Posy runs straight into my arms and starts to cry onto my shirt. After all her tears are gone I pull away. I accept a hug from my all the other member of my family. "Gale you have to win this for us. Don't worry about us when you are in the Games. Katniss will look after us and all you do is focus on winning the Games," My mother tells me.
"You got to win this big bro. We're counting on you," Rory says.
"I promise I will win, Any Means Necessary." I tell them.
"We love you Gale," My mother says hugging me. "I love all of you too," I tell her and then some peacekeepers come and take them away.
My next visitor is Katniss. She runs straight into my arms. "Gale you have got to win this. You can hunt and you are one of the strongest people I know." I look at her straight into her eyes and tell her that I will win no matter what it takes.
"Gale you are allowed one district token when you are in the arena. Wear this. Madge told me to give it to you." I look at what she just given me. It is a golden pin with a bird on it. I tell her I will wear it. She looks straight into my eyes again."I love you Gale," She says and wraps her arms around me.
"I love you too Catnip." I say and return her hug. Peacekeeper come and takes Katniss away. She asks for more time but the Peacekeeper force her out of the room. "I'll look after your family, Gale. Remember I l-" The doors close before she could finish her sentence.
